What's so good about the playoffs is that it's a series of at least four games, and at the end of each game, the losing side has to figure out how to solve the loss, and the winning side has to find a way to consolidate its advantage. The game between the coaches of the two sides, the execution of the players on the field, is the charm of the playoffs.
The Warriors lost to Monk and Fox in the last game, so the first problem for the Warriors to solve is not to let their interior line be as flat as in the previous game, and they can't give Fox such an easy chance to single out. Kerr said before the game: "We hope Monk doesn't get 14 free throws tonight. ”
Cole's solution today is to tighten the interior with all his might, and Fox has a few pairs of hands waiting to cut the ball whenever he bursts in. The Warriors selectively let go of some of the King's three-point chances, and the Kings really gave face, opening the game with a 0-of-11 three-point shooting.
However, when the Kings went 0-of-11 from three-point range, the Warriors were just five or so ahead. From the opening 4 minutes and 5 turnovers, the Warriors seemed to set the tone for today's game, and although the Kings couldn't shoot, they could rely on the Warriors' mistakes to fight back.
By the time Fox finally made the King's first three-pointer, the momentum of the game was for the Kings. In the second quarter, the Kings scored 41 points in a single quarter, and the Warriors still kept making mistakes and were constantly counterattacked by the Kings. This kind of attitude and focus will not win in the playoffs.
The Warriors kept giving opponents near-empty three-pointers this time, mainly because they were suddenly scared by Fox and Monk. But even if the opponent is three points worse, it is NBA level, it will not always fail to score, and once it fires, the Warriors' defense is in a dilemma.
In the second half, Brown used the same strategy as in the previous game, and instead of using his hand to help, he began to use a high block to pull the Warriors' interior out, and Monk once again hit the Warriors' hinterland like a knife.
One interesting detail of the game is that when the Kings led the Warriors by 12 points in the third quarter, the Kings all shot less from the field, three-point range, and free throw percentage. This means that the Warriors' rebound was blown up by the King, it is true that Rooney's fifth foul came quickly, and it is also true that the Warriors can't grab the King.
In the first game, the Warriors lost 8 offensive rebounds, and today they still lost on offensive rebounds. This round of the series Kings is not afraid to fight the Warriors, even faster than the Warriors. After Green's kick in the fourth quarter, the two sides once again entered the rhythm of attack.
I don't comment much on this kick of chasing dreams, no matter what the reason, this foot should not be stepped on. This kick scares me to watch, if it is stepping on the chest of an ordinary person...
When Klay hit back-to-back three-pointers, the Kings always responded. Today's Fox played average in the first three quarters, but scored 11 points again in the final quarter, and this season Fox was the most consistent man in the fourth quarter, and the playoffs were the same.
When Klay and Curry frantically looked for a three-point opportunity at the end of the game, a sense of despair came to their face. It's rare to see such a sense of despair in the Warriors' playoffs, and of course if you've seen enough of the Warriors this season, they've experienced too much of this on the road.
The Warriors are 2-0 down, and since Curry entered the league, he has never encountered a situation of 0-2 in the playoffs, and with or without home-court advantage, the Warriors will not fall into complete passivity in the first two games.
But this year is different, the Warriors meet a team that is younger, faster and more physical, and two guards they can't limit in two games, and everything seems to be heading for the Warriors' collapse.
The good news is that they will be back at home in the next game, and their joint defense today is not bad, and it is expected that Cole will put more joint defense to limit the Kings' impact next game. The bad news is that they have no way back, and Chasing Dream does not know whether it will be banned.
Trailing 2-0 isn't the end of the world, but if you don't pick yourself up, the Warriors' season may really end there.